Manufacturing method of wavelength filter

Abstract

A manufacturing method of a wavelength filter includes the steps of: depositing on a substrate a lower clad layer and a core layer, each made from a polymer material; compressing the core layer with a mold to lithograph a pattern of the mold onto the core layer; stabilizing the lower clad layer and the core layer; separating the core layer from the mold; forming an upper clad layer on the core layer; and forming an electrode on the upper clad layer.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a manufacturing method of a wavelength filter for use with an optical Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) communication system. [0003] 2. Discussion of the Background Art [0004] With the rapid increase of a variety of data including voice and image data, the world's attention has turned to studies about optical communication system for building a very high-speed broadband integrated communication network capable of integrating the data and transmitting and processing them at very high speed. [0005] In particular, an optical WDM communication system respectively inputs different information to many light sources with different wavelengths, and multiplexes them and transmits the multiplexed data through one single optical fiber. Then the receiving end thereof demultiplexes the multiplexed signal and receives optical signals according to their wavelengths. Therefore, the bandwidth of...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0035] Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to solve the foregoing problems by providing a manufacturing method of a wavelength filter for use with an optical WDM communication system, in which a waveguide together with a grating are formed easily with a mold.

[0038] According to another aspect of the invention, the mold is preferably made by depositing a polymer layer on the substrate; patterning the polymer layer; coating a transparent polymer material on the patterned polymer layer; and stabilizing the transparent polymer material and separating the same from the polymer layer.

Problems solved by technology

Despite its superior characteristics, the FBG is not favored because it is difficult to reduce the size of the optical fiber, and the FBG is not easily integrated with another optical communication device.

However, one drawback of using silica for the manufacture of the optical device is that it should undergo a process performed at higher than 1000° C. to manufacture an optical waveguide.

However, the lithography scheme using the phase mask requires the mask to be arrayed very accurately, and every polymer material is not necessarily appropriate for applying the lithography.

Moreover, the laser direct-write lithography is not productive at all, so it is inappropriate for mass production of wavelength filters and low-cost mass production for industrial applicability.

Images